How to Prepare for an Interview for a Junior QA Engineer Position

QA Engineers are specialists who engage in functional testing of software at all stages of development. They establish and enforce standards, analyze quality, select tools, and prevent errors made by developers.

Let’s consider what HR specialists pay attention to when searching for an employee for a Junior QA Engineer position.

What’s Important?

• Understanding what bugs are, their types, how to detect them, and how to describe them properly.
• Grasping the software development process.
• Knowing types of testing.
• Ability to read technical documentation at least at a basic level.
• Skill in analyzing development requirements.
• Understanding client-server architecture.
• Capability to create test documentation, monitor, and track edits.
• Communicating thoughts clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Proficiency in English.
• Understanding bug tracking.
• Ability to prioritize identified bugs.
• And much more!

A significant advantage would be understanding the basics of JavaScript, Java, HTTP, Python, and APIs. One of the most crucial skills for a tester is proficiency in SQL query language. It’s also beneficial to be adept at Jira or other task trackers.

In a resume, you can talk about experience working on pet projects and knowledge of testing peculiarities on specific operating systems.

Important Personal Qualities

• Analytical mindset and attention to detail.
• Developed abstract and strategic thinking.
• Ability to work in a team.
• Perfectionism, responsibility, perseverance.
• Moderate and appropriate assertiveness.

Developmental Levels of Testers

1. Trainee: A beginner tester with no commercial experience. Typically, these are interns undergoing training in IT companies with subsequent employment based on results. You can mention in your resume that you underwent training, and it would be great if you specify what tasks and achievements you had during it.
2. Junior: A junior specialist with some commercial experience (approximately up to 6-8 months). The candidate already creates test plans, test cases, applies test design techniques in practice, can write SQL queries, and understands concepts like severity and priority.

How to Get an Interview Invitation?

One advantage over other candidates, though not mandatory, is writing a cover letter to accompany your resume.

Here’s an example: “Hello! I am interested in the vacancy at your company. I possess sufficient knowledge and relevant experience for consideration. Please review my resume. My contact details: phone number, email address, social networks, or messengers.”

Usually, the selection process for a QA position consists of three stages:

1. Response and completion of a test assignment: When assessing resumes, HR pays attention to how you present yourself, your skills, and abilities. After applying, you’ll receive a test assignment to complete within a specified timeframe.
2. Screening, i.e., the first interview with HR: Try to answer questions directly and honestly. If you embellish your skills and abilities in your resume, it will be uncovered, leaving a bad impression on the employer.
3. Technical interview: This stage involves meeting the team and your future manager. It’s essential to prepare well on testing theory. You might be asked to solve logical problems or write SQL queries.

Sample Interview Questions:

1. What are SQL queries?
2. What is dynamic testing?
3. Testing objectives.
4. What is risk-based testing?
5. What are positive and negative testing?
6. What is end-to-end testing?
7. How do you know when testing is complete?
8. What is a test case, and what fields does it contain?
9. When to use a checklist versus test cases?
10. What is a bug report, and what fields does it contain?
11. Difference between priority and severity.
12. Test design techniques.
13. Questions about organizing workflow.
14. Solving logical problems, for example:
    • You have 8 identical balls – how do you determine the heaviest one using weights and two weighings?
    • Why are manhole covers round?
    • You have an infinite amount of water and two jars: a three-liter and a five-liter one. How do you get 4 liters of water?
    • It’s pouring rain at 2 am. What’s the probability that the weather will be sunny in 71 hours?

Solving these problems demonstrates your ability to build logical chains to solve a question. This is important because a tester must be able to think logically. During the interview, try to reason rather than immediately say you don’t know the answer.

Sometimes, you might be asked to converse in English during the interview. For example, to briefly talk about yourself, your hobbies, or the weather outside. You might also be asked about your previous experience, such as the most significant bug you’ve found and how quickly it was fixed.

Conclusions:

1. Don’t worry, as you’ll find a job anyway. It’s just a matter of time. It all depends on your perseverance, self-presentation, resume, and cover letter.
2. Describing your experience – it would be great if you create a page on GitHub and provide the link in your cover letter or resume.
3. I don’t recommend lying – everything will be uncovered, and it will be very unpleasant. Future employers also need to understand your weaknesses to help with additional training.
4. During the HR interview, don’t interrupt or argue. This is your first communication, and it’s important to make a good impression. Show that you’re loyal to the company. However, in a very polite manner, you can express differing opinions at the end of the conversation, providing your arguments.
5. Sometimes, employers deliberately make mistakes to check the candidate’s attentiveness. Attention to detail is essential for a tester.
6. It’s also good to note down unclear or challenging moments. After the interview, you can fill in the gaps, which will surely come in handy in the future.

Our journal will continue to provide valuable insights, ranging from testing theories to hands-on tutorials with various testing tools.